Ligature holding and tying instrument



4, 1931- G. E. BERGMAN 1,816,952

LIGATURE HOLDING AND TYING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1930 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GZT Be/yman Aug. 4, 1931. E. BERGMAN mmssz LIGATURE HOLDING AND TYING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill /7 M E l i; i --/4 I: Z :i H '1 :E :1

lZBe/"yman am ttomq I Patented Aug. 4, 1931 FUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GERTRUDE E. BERGMAN, OF FORT DODGE, IOWA LIGATURE HOLDING AND TYING INSTRUMENT Application filed January 16, 1930. Serial No. 421,255.

tion is to provide a ligator so designed that the loop of a ligature may be readily slipped inplace over the end of an artery to be tied and subsequently drawntight about the artery quickly, easily and with a minimum of pain'to a patient. I

Another object of the invention is to pro- .vide a 'ligator so designed as to enable an operator to place the loop of a ligature in position and draw the sametight without tearing or otherwise damaging the tissue about the artery to be tied.

. Still another object of the invention is to 29 provide a ligator which in addition toserving-as a means for placing a ligature 1n position and tying the same, may be employed in substitution for one of the usual two hemostatic forcepsused by a surgeon when trying to locate a bleeding artery or vein, the device therefore performing' the double function of acting as a hemostat and a ligature carrier and knotter. i

The invention will behest understood from a consideration ofthe following detailed de scription taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings forming .part' of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the i'nventionis not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but'may be changed or modified so long. as such changes or modificationsmark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. I

In the drawings 'Figure' 1 is a back View embodying the present invention.

, Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the instrument embodying the present invention. Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the tip of the instrument showing the manner in which it is used in connection with a hemostat. Y F igure 4 is a view looking toward the back of the instrument of the instrument showing the same in use as in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a view looking at the inner edge of the slotted shank of the instrument.

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 77 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a view showing the completion of a tying operation and the manner in which the ligature ends are released by the 'ligator.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the instrument embodying the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 1. As shown in Figure 1 this instrument is in general design much like the well known hemostatio forceps employed by physicians for grasping and closing the ends of blood vessels to prevent bleeding thereof in that it is made up of a pair of crossed pivotally connected members each of which is indicated by the numeral 2, these members being pivoted together as at 3.

The forward end of each member which is indicated by the numeral 4 will be hereinafter referred to as'the tines of the instrument while the rear portions each of which is in- 'dicated by the numeral 5 will be referred to as L the shanks.

Each of the shanks 5 is formed at its free .end to provide a ring 6 one thereof being designed to receive the second finger of the userwhile the other receives the thumb, and adjacent these rings the shanks have formed upon their opposed faces the catches '7 which, when the instrument is closed, resiliently engage one over the other to maintain the tines 4 at the forward end of the instrument in closed position. p

At its forward end each of the tines 4; tapers slightly as shown and terminates in a bowed tip'8, each tine being bent slightly at the point 9 where the tipis joined thereto so that the tip will be directed at an oblique angle from the tine as shown.

As shown the bowed or concave faces of the tips 8 are in opposed relation so that when the tines 4 are brought together the outer ends of and no sharp edge which would'belike'ly' to injure tissue against which the instrument.

contacts, will be formed. 1

The tips 8 formed in the man-nerdescribed thus each provides an eye 13 through which.

'on'e'end ofa ligature may pass when thein strument is in use, as will be hereinaiter more fully described. 7 r p I v The shanks 5 of the instrument are separatted sligl'itlybetween the catch 7 and the pivot point' and'one ofthe oppose'd faces thereof central part of theT slot 1 1.

has formed longitudinally therein a guide slot Ll, preferably in the form' 'of'a T. Thefop posing'face'of the opposite shank has formed longitudinally therein a shallow groove 15 whichis disposed in the same plane as the Adap'ted'tomove between and longitudi- I nallyof the shanks5. is a post 16, thelower end o-fwhich is turnedlaterally and formed to provide a T-head 17 which fits .in the slot Island is adapted to move -longitudinally therein as'will be readily understood. Opposite the-T-head 17 the-post ha'sformed thereon a, button 18 which, when the shanks 5 are brought together, engages'inthe-groove 15 of the shank. V 1 V 7 Garried by-the' POSt'lS a pair of oppositelydisposed laterally directed arinsfil9 each of which is suitably formed tofacilitate the at: tachment thereto of one end of a ligature. One means whereby a ligature may be attached to oneof the arms 19 is by providing the outer end of thearm' with an eye 20 through which the end of the ligature maybe passed and to which it may be tied.

About the arms'19 the post 16-carries a ring 21in which a finger of the userof the in strument may engage for the purpose of.

drawing upon the ends ofthe' ligature at; tache'dtothe arms 19.

r the ligature, which is here indicated general;

ly by the numeral 22 first has a single twist knot 23 loosely'formed therein so as to provide the loop 24. Each end of'the ligature is then passed thro'ughone of the eyes 13 and brought back and atached to an arm 19,in

the manner showmthe' knot 23 being disposed acrossthe elliptical frame formed by the closed tips 8. r v

The tip of a-heinostatic forcep25 is then 7 eiiten'ded through the loop 2 1 and'thebleeding blood vessel which is to be ligated grasped thereby. 'After the bleeding blood vesselhas been secured by the hemostat the ligator 1 is then moved forwardly along the hemostat sliding the loop off of the tip thereof. and over the blood vessel. The operators index finger, engaged in the ring 21, is then drawn back sliding the post toward the rear of the ligator so that the ends of the ligature 22 will be pulled in such a manner as to tighten up the knot 23. The knot 23 initially will be disposed across the tips 8 but it may be drawn slightly tlierebetween" when the ends of the ligature are pulled thus uncovering the edges of the tips so that th'e same may be pressed firmly in agains't the tissue surrounding the blood vessel permitting the knot to be firmly secured: Following the complete tightening of the knot the hemostat may be released and removed from position and the endsfiof the ligature severed from the arms 19'bythe use of scissors, following which these ends may be again severed at a point close to the knot.

Fro'm'th'e foregoingdescription it will be readily seen that'with an instrument of the character herein described the tissuesrsurrounding a bleedingvessel may be held back thereby until the vessel is located and grasped by a hemostat after which the firmtying of the ligature aboutthe bleeding vessel maybe easily and quickly accomplished with a minimum of'discomfort to the patient.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what Iclaimis:' I v r V 1. A ligature holding and tying instrument, comprising a body made up of a pair of el'ongated'crossed. and pivotally connected members, said members at one end being formedto-provide a pair of bowed tips the concave sides thereof being in opposed relation, the said't'ips each being formedto provide an eye for the passage therethrough of an end of a looped and knotted ligature, and shiftable element carried by the members adjacent their other ends having the'en'ds of the ligature 'se'cured 'tl'iereto, said bowed tips being directed'laterallyfromthe members of which'they form a part. 1 p r '2. A ligature holding and tyinginstrument, comprising a pair'of elongatedmembers crossed and V pivotally' connected intermediatetheir ends, each of the members be- 7 M p w p V g u ing formed at one end to provide grasping In the use of the present improved ligator,

means whereby the ends may be brought together, a'bowed tip formedat the other end of each member and obliquely directed therefrom, the'tips being disposed to bring their concave faces into opposed'relat'ion, the outer ends thereof being adapted to overlap, each of said tips-being formed to provide an eye through-which the end of a looped" and knotted ligature may be passed, and a device reci'procable longitudinally of the mem bers between said grasping means and the pivot point thereof haying said ends ofthe' ligature secured thereto. J 3.' A ligature holding and tying instrument, comprising a pair ofelongated memers crossed and pivotally connected intermediate their ends, each of the members being formed at one end to provide grasping means whereby the ends may be brought together, a bowed tip formedat the other end of each member and obliquely directed there from, the tips being disposed to bring their concave faces into opposed relation, the outer ends thereof being adapted to overlap, each of said tips being formed to provide an eye through which the end of a looped and knotted ligature may be passed, a device reciprocable longitudinally of the members between said grasping means and the pivot point thereof adapted to have said ends of the ligature secured thereto, said element constituting a post slidably carried by one of the members, a pair of laterally directed. arms carried by the post and formed at their ,7 outer ends to facilitate the attachment of the each side open,

. body and having the ends of j ligature ends thereto,

and means whereby the instrument may be employed for exerting a pull upon the post.

4. A ligature tying and holding instrument, comprising an elongated body having the forward end thereof designed to form a substantially oval frame having its long axis finger of a user of the directed obliquely, of the body and joined formed at one end of the body and directed obliquely thereof and designed to support upon its top the knot of a looped and knotted ligature, said tip having guide apertures formed therethrough through which the ends of the ligature may be threaded, said body adjacent its opposite end having a longitudinally extending recess therein, one of the opposed walls of the recess being slotted, a pin having one end extending into said recess and having a laterally turned linger upon said end slidably engaging in said slot, a pair of arms extending from the pin and laterally of the body, each of said arms being formed to facilitate the tying of the end of the ligature thereto, and a linger ring carried by the pin to ing of the same longitudinally in said recess. In testimony whereof I hereunto al'iix my signature.

GERTRUDE E. BERGll GIAN.

thereto by a curved neck, said frame having forming an eye, said frame being designed to support the knot of a looped ligature and said eyes forming guides for the ends of the ligature, and a slide mounted to move longitudinally of and on the the ligature secured thereto.

5. A ligature holding and tying instrument, comprising an elongated body, a pair of members'formed at one end of the body, said members together substantially forming an elliptical frame having its long axis directed longitudinally of the body and each of the members being formed to provide a laterally opening eye for the reception of the ends'of a looped and knotted ligature, and

' longitudinally shiftable means adjacent the of a looped and knotted other end of the body for holding the ligature ends and for facilitating the pulling thereof to tighten said knot.

6. A ligature holding and tying instru-.

the tip to effect the closing of the loop.

7. A ligature holding and tying instrument, comprising an elongated body, a tip 

